Hero of Heaven, Child of Earth
by Edward Vulpes
Summary: The Beginning of an epic poem in one hundred parts, in the tradition of Homer and Virgil, adapted from the storyline of the first Metroid game and from the series of Kid Icarus. On hold indefinitely.
1. Canto One

Now, first… the obligatory disclaimer. I do not own any of the series depicted or alluded to herein, with the most prominent among these being Metroid and Kid Icarus.

Now, reading that, you may wonder why and what this is. Well, I decided to turn my hand to epic poetry after reading nearly all of the very famous epics, such as Homer's _Iliad_ and _Odyssey_, Virgil's _Aeneid_, Dante's _Divine Comedy_, and Milton's _Paradise Lost_. However, not wanting to deal with such serious subjects or tones as these, but still wishing to use a tone of antiquity, I began to search for things that I might make into epic form. I first thought Zelda might be a good way to explore this, but I found myself very limited when I tried this. I needed a way to make things seem both modern and ancient at the same time… which birthed this "crossover epic" if you will. This is but the very beginning of a story that will likely take me months- years, even- in the telling. If you wish to motivate me to write more and faster, then encourage me! Leave reviews for this poor, feedback-starved writer! Regardless, though, I will do my best to post a new canto, in the division of Dante's own epic, every Friday. If not… well, just say that reviews will spur me on.

I now present…

_**Hero of Heaven, Child of Earth**_

Canto One

Oh, Muses! Grant to me a voice that I  
May sing of that which must be sung! Let  
Me put to verse the fell and glorious deeds  
Beyond our own celestial spheres, where Zeus  
And fair Palutena doth make their thrones.  
Oh, Calliope, with golden pen, you I  
Do invoke the first of all- thee it was  
Who granted silver tongue to Grecian blind.  
Grant me now that selfsame gift to tell  
Of birdlike race whose progeny- not their  
Own, but man's daughter who wore the suit of  
Allium strong, and with forceful arm did liberate  
Her people dear from bandits foul. And you,  
Daughters of Zeus, Thalia bright and you,  
O Melpomene with countenance of gloom,  
And you, Erato fine, to all of thee  
I ask that I be given words to tell  
Of the angel- nay, the god- companion  
To Palutena on her bright throne- of the  
Boy to rival Aphrodite's own in form and face,  
And the love he held toward the child of man  
In her shell of Allium, on the world  
Not her own.

Yet though I sing of victory, let not  
My words neglect to pass the knowledge of  
Those dread and eldritch forms 'gainst which  
The child of earth and hero of heaven did wage  
Their war. Those children of the underworld,  
The Eumenide sisters three, who curse the  
Very ground on which they tread, who move the  
Hearts of men and more to darkest deeds-  
Together with their Chief- gorgonian  
Goddess Medusa, bound in chains by the   
Decree of Palutena and by the arms  
Divine of the angelic warrior Pit.

Oh, how now is rued the day when ships of

Iron black stole softly on the cratered world

Of Zebes! How black the squalid night when

Stole upon the silent world, under the

Watchful eye of she who kept the planet

In its stride. And yet all artifice of

Those who would declare this land their own

Did not avert the gaze or Chozo's trust

In the one they deemed the Mother Brain.

Clamorous alarms did sound beneath the

Sleeping surface of Crateria's dark night.

"Awake, ye somnolent avian guards!

Rise from your slumber, ye Chozo's hunter's brave!

While dreamt you of flitting figures and in

Your minds whispered Pythagoras' Muse,

Espied have I two bands of rogues, which not

Seeking our leave have landed in the cloak

Of night. One even now bears down upon

Our doors, and though I have made latch the gate

Unto caverns of Brinstar dank, and now

Hold fast the portal to Norfair's hellish depths,

I cannot stem this dread destroyer's tide.

Don your armor, O protectors of the

Galaxy. Now you must make haste, for who

Can save from the plundr'ers' stings but you

Yourselves?"

Yet Tarfeather, with elder's cloak

Of gray, did but raise his hand to touch

The glass that held their god- in all but name-

From the Chozo's sway. "Mother Brain, doest thou

Intend to stay these who light upon our

Hoary lands under the raven wing of Night?

Dear Mother, vested in whom we have the

Galaxial knowledge vast, realize do you not that

If we who shield Federation from

Ruin do here make our last stand, then who

Remains to guard the guardians? No. For,

Though unbeknownst to you, an oracle

We have received- a prophet beyond all

Our cunning artifice, and who does shame

The Chozo's wonders technological.

Nay, dear Mother, we shall not flee or fight;

The days of the protectors are at

An end. We shall withdraw beyond Tourain,

Far back into Chozoidia, into

Temples to nameless Muse. There we shall sing

The fun'ral rites for our race long-lived,

And await our placid journey- for

What is death but the calling of our Muse

To new and greater minds? But- alack!" said

He with eyebrows raised as Mother Brain,

Incredulous that her people allow

This fate with thoughts serene, did pierce him

With her gaze. "Do not think we have ceased in

Our duties to protect the Galaxy.

Make ready for escape a ship- but one-

To hold our charge Samus Aran. In her

Do we vest the future of Chozoidia;

Such is decreed by elder's council gray,

And such needs must be done. It shall be she

Who fells this pirate race- this scourge of worlds-

But she must survive the journey whole. Thus

Do I charge thee, O chief among our craft,

To conduct her safe to verdant fields of Earth-

Let not your sight, nor your strong arm waver."

In silence the computer sat, and mulled

These things in unfathomed depth of mind.

At length again she spoke. "To understand

This order I shall no strain upon myself-

How inscrutable this notion of the soul

To one built not to comprehend! Yet

No argument I will make against this

Edict oracular. Go now- withdraw into

Temples to your Muse; withdraw unto

Thy citadels of steel and stone. Fast shall

I hold the doors as long as I am able,

And safe this Mother shall conduct precious

Samus Aran to means of flight forbidden."

Thus spaketh she, and closed her pond'rous eye.

Elsewhere in Galaxy vast, standing high

Above the baser lands of Earth does loom

Olympus vast, enduring testament

To undying powers divine. Here rest the

Seats of deities both great and meek- from

Almighty Palutena, aside her

Cthonic sister's vacant throne forlorn,

To seat of mighty lord of thunder and

That of selfsame wife and sister dear, where

Zeus and Hera do recline and serve in

Council to the Queen of Light. Next the thrones

Of Aphrodite and Eros - O fair and

Ageless youth – do lie. Followed next is couch,

Reclined in sumptuous Bacchic luxuries,

Of Dionysus, lord of vine's sweet fruit.

Farther still does sit the chair of Vesta fine,

Placid in her face and tender

In her hands that, ever busy, do warm the

Hearths of those who love her forms of peace.

Seated next still is Vulcan at his throne

Of iron, anvil black, wafting sulf'rous airs

From Aetna's furnace hot. Across from him does

Sit, erect with cold and calculating

Eyes, the daughter and device divine by

Hephaestus formed, far from Aetna's fiery forge,

Crafted to surpass all of man's own

Lesser designs of silicon. Silent,

Voltic goddess, Electra – for there can

Be no other name for she – watches, counting.

Demigod and god alike to gather

Here, more of whom than can be said, for the

Queen of Light has made summons to all of

Olympus high. From lowly angel to

The King of Gods deposed assemble all

Before the reigning Queen of sacred Mount.

Palutena stands, bright scepter in her

Clutch. A hush spreads o'er those gathered in that

Celestial throng, and so stills the song of

Angelic choir sweet. All crane to see

The face of she who, Apollo's pow'r

Surpassed, does flood the world with light, and too

Do all wonder at the darkening shade which

Flashes on that radiant face, which perchance

O'ertaken by the visages of those

Who rule the realms of love, and so she does

Admit by his of her own consort dear,

Never shall be equalled in love and grace

Toward those mortal peoples to whom she binds herself

To serve. The scepter flashes in her grasp,

And doth illuminate her tender eyes,

Brimming now with woes and cares so seen by all.

"Brothers, sisters of ethereal forms!

I stand before you now delivering a

Message of import most grave. Know you all

My foul, tempestuous sister, who bound

In Hades' realm lived out her tortured days

Together with the Furies in their own

Dark playground of the Stygian lord's designs,

Lashed by chains that I to her in mine own

Vengeance pulled. Think not it was adamant

Or craft of thine did fail, ye master of

Aetna's supreme fires. Nor consider that

Stayed was the hand by deceitful mercy

Of he who struck the blows upon the eye,

Oozing even now its stinking pus, of

Medusa's lying face, and low laid the fiend

Who I once called my sister dear. Nay, not

By fault of Pit or mine was loosed this

Scheming fiend, but by strengths without, o'er which

None here hold their sway. That alien and

Human tract so called the Federation

Of the Galaxy holds to itself as

Foe that selfsame force which doth erode its

Pillars of Law and Order strong, and too

Did break these bonds and shackles hard of those

Dire beings which we did seal away. Their name

Is central to their cause and crimes, for who

Would call themselves Space Pirates but those who

Tend no regard for Life or Law sublime?

They, too, are brazen in this deed, for whilst

I made repose in mine own temple pure,

The chieftan of these rogues – draconic face

Has he, with Chimaeric tail and sting,

And cunning to match any of thine own-

Came to me and screeched his challenge of the

Deed. 'Let it be known, O goddess bright,' said

He with sneering lisp, 'that neither Styx nor

Thy precious feeble sacred Mount can stop

Ridley's force of will!' Thus spaketh he,

And turned in flight to noxious ships of black.

The import of this cryptic code we did

Grasp not till came to us, with ashen face,

The Elysian King and Queen, who had flown

In haste to tell me of the serpent's deed.

Deceit I give not you when I say

That Furies and Medusa both have been

Loosed from their proper prisons on this day."


	2. Canto Two

Only one review? Come now, people, I know that this story is getting hits. Even if only to tell me that I'm a horrendous poet, at least let me know!

Well, with that out of the way, let the song continue!

Canto Two

A murmur runs through those divine who hear

These words. Deeply does Palutena draw

Her breath. "Those here who in their mem'ry hold

The day when sister mine, resentful of the

Form bestowed on her by this scepter bright,

To better reflect her black and reeking

Soul, did scatter treasures divine, and in

Her potent fury, did quell the Hydra,

And lash the collar of a slave to whelp of proud

Cerberus, and by sorc'rous arts profane

Constrained to vile deeds the Pandoric

Ghost, all which set she o'er Vulcan's treasures

Forged. Recall how low was brought this cloud-wreathed

Kingdom high, and too remember you how

Shaméd gods were cast from gilted thrones of gold

And slopes of Mount Olympus were into

Darkness cast, how made she mockery

Of these realms of mine, afore you knew me

As monarch here. Whether by design or

Whim of weaving Fates, never shall again

We let Medusa's fest'ring gaze of lust

Consume. Wherewith and why this Ridley takes

My sibling foul beyond the heaven where

Our hand may stretch, only the King Supreme

Of universe and toiling fates can say. But if

By proxy we may spare a hapless world

From this burden which is ours alone to bear,

Then let haste be made to send our chosen

Hence. Let summons be made for the angel

Who once before did fell my sister foul.

Send now for the angelic warrior Pit."

Prowling down the corridors unlit of

Pirate frigate with equal purpose dark

Stalks the boney form of dragon Ridley,

Chieftan of Pirate fleet, which upon the Law

Did make their war. In his breast resentment

Burned and raged, and about his mouth did play

Tongues of fire, peculiar to his race, born

Of fury ill contained. He opens wide

His jaws and rends the shadows round with screech

And flashing flames do light the crushing shade.

In that hellish light is shown the glassy orbs

Set in sharpened snout. All who see those wild

Eyes to fear, for trapped within are angry

Flames that burn both cold and hot. Lashes he

With deadly tail, and in his palpèd wrath

The alloyed walls ring out their plaintive cries.

"That these half-breeds, demigods who reek of

Age and ignorance, should chasten Ridley

Who grants them liberty! Ingrate, wretched

Beings! Shall the lowliest pirate be to

Them a slave? Shall Ridley, esteemed in fray

Of battles through Galaxy wide, bow to

Women who I myself did loose from feeble

Cells in that foolish realm – that in their dread

The name can only whisper but? Curse I

Do the name and memory of that place

Called Tartarus – that I would need them not,

And so take my leave to lash them in my

Norfair home, and so let feel the sting

Of true hell!"

Yet through these words is spent his

Rolling flames of anger bright, and so he

Stills the barbèd tail. The feral light which

So soon before had burned in glassy eyes

Does itself not snuff, but becomes as core

Of vap'rous flame, blue and sharp as azure

Gems. "Medusa and her cousins three I

Shall o'errule in my due time. For now, course

Is set for Zebes' tracts of wasteland great

And caverns of aromatic acids

Deep. Let those brazen people of the wing

Withstand Ridley's furious blasts, and let

Those eyes of fools who think themselves as wise

Be torn asunder by Diomedic claws –

'Gainst the will of Pirate Supreme who will

Take their stand? Ridley shall in time control

Both his cherished world and the odious deeds

Of these faithless female forms." So spaketh

He, and through the endless night did cut the

Keel of starships vast.

Message had been sent that Palutena's

Guard and consort same – who taking not the

Cloak of Tyrian dys, symbol sinces ages

Past of those regal and divine, instead

Choosing to keep seraphic wings sublime –

Hastened through the sky with Palutena's

Bow in hand. Lights he now in sight of all

Who took their places in that conclave of gods;

Eros turns his face away, ever in

Jealousy of angel who by favor of

The Queen of Light more beautiful than Love

Himself did make. Gilt is Pit about the

Arms 'twixt elbow and the blade with bands of

Hades' gold, glittering in sun and gaze

Of Olympus' Ruler bright. Naught else wears

He above the waist, and on his breast doth

Gleam the drops of training's rigors born.

About is head is wreathed half-crown of

Laurel leaves, ever verdant by Ceres'

Gifted breath. Girt about his legs is a

Tunic white – sole concession to a modest frame –

Held up by leather belt of black. Before

His liege the fair and wingèd youth

Does kneel. Yet the Queen of Gods motions him

To stand. "O, dear Pit, to whom the gods do

Owe a debt we leave unpaid- would that you

But take the cloak of purple on thine own

Shoulders bare of power! For now we must,

Nay, Palutena alone, does make yet

Another tall request. In times long hence

Didst thou with that very allium bow,

Wrought of Hephaestus' and Palutena's

Sweat and pain and toils long, crafted for sole

Purpose to fell that Pestilence that I

Am fain to call mine own sister true.

To you we grant again the right to ask

Of any god who gathered here can give

Thou the reward which ye demand, if you

Will but perform this same service to us

Once more."

But Pit is resolute. He shakes

His head, and answers in an unaging

Child's trill. "Thrice now have I been offered

Dominions vast, but if to lose my wings

And youth for godhood and mantle violet,

Then of such a reward I want no part.

It is enough for Pit to serve his Queen;

If Palutena asks of Pit once more

Into battle to fly, then I shall make

No argument, nor question why this is.

If needs be Medusa again be felled,

I shall not hesitate to work this deed;

Let pit thy chosen soldier be again."

The Celestial Queen, full in view of all

Those eyes ethereal, doth hang her head

And embrace the selfless angel boy, and in

His hair and pinions white her tears do fall,

As wraps he her in the clasp of his clean

Wings.

"O, noble angel! Let Palutena

On her bright throne have such a servant's heart!"

Tenderly the cheek of her who to the

Goddess supreme himself as slave did give

In willing vows she strokes. "My angel sweet,

Never before was valiance and love so

Mixed, save of He who gave this world to me

O'er which I might preside. But let us not

Tarry here, bandying vain words. Thyself

Do gird for war and voyage long,

Just as Odysseus himself did steel

His soul for vindication by the lord

Of Troy and Sea. Gird thy loins with tunic

Black, which the spinning Fates made their weave of

Fibers steeped in shallows of judgmental

Styx; do not neglect thy robe of holy

White, and in they haste do not forget the

Garnet brooch, blood red, which Ares to thee

Made as his gift in jubilation for

Thy deeds. Carry, too, our sacred tokens

Three, for on the cratered planet vast

That mark you as thy goal will rise their need."

Pit bows his leave, but Vulcan is next to

Raise his crashing voice. "O, angelic boy

To whom we do owe all! For you I shall

Prepare a ship to sail upon the sea

Of starry galaxial waves, which mortals

None through milky spiral arms have e'er

Contrived, fleet of wing, supassing in its

Arms those of fabled Lylat spheres. For

This I ask but one request: that with thee

Take as companion thine my progeny

Of mineralic cold – my Electra dear,

Who in these wondrous times of iron

Minds which whole worlds do owe their lives, all

In craft of mortal's hand she does defeat."

Thus said, the voltic goddess, with empty

Eyes and gaze, gives her assent at edict

Of the fire god. Pit now nods and makes

His thanks to Queen and fiery Aetna's lord.

Then lofting he, seraphic wings wide spread,

Rises the youth in flight, of a purpose

Singular. Palutena with the gods

In all Olympus vast by wave of hands

Send for the angel boy so fair, who turns

And breaking sacred bow doth swear and make

His solemn oath to conquer by decree

Divine.

Beneath the surface cragged of

Chozo's Zebes planet home, in Brinstar's

Cavernous depths do make abode and teem

With life the crafted biomes which Chozo

Balance in their need to act in godhood's

Stead, tumultuous sounds and cries do echo

Through caves of miles Theban Labyrinne,

Which alone now stay advance relentless

Of those galaxial rogues- Pirates of the

Spiral arms, who breaking down the doors to

Avian compounds and temples of hewn

Stones are confounded now by the Chozo's

Destructive wake, which leads the bandits to

Wander, void of guide, in dark acidic

Caves. Yet Chozo's oracle inspired

By nameless Muse and King above does know

That twilight for this enlightened race draws

Nigh, and thus the people make their peace with

Stoic minds, all save but one small lass who

Into feathered arms she weeps, and pours out

Her sorrows to the Chozo that this girl

For all her short-lived days called Grandfather

Dear. Rivulets of pain do cut her face

As tears of love and loss lets she fall

To soak those aged wings.

"Why send you me

Away when Pirates do assault this world

And my surrogate family to me dear? Why fly

When I can avenge at last that darkest

Day when in front of my own very eyes,

When I was yet naïve, my mother in

Maternal drive to see her daughter safe,

Was hewn from neck to breast by dragon's tail-

Who but I can understand that horror,

The torrent of her life-blood ceased in

Mine own sight by razor tail of Pirate

Serpent depraved?" The old bird said naught at

First, but held man's daughter tight against his

Downy chest, and with her tears mingles his

Scanty own.

"O, Samus dear, whom Chozo

Took as our own child after that bloody,

Cursed day in which they parents died such

Deaths as heroes might be sung,j but that we

Might grant to you this boon- a vengeance well

Deserved! My heart does truly crack to stay

Your hand, my daughter true – for sangeous

Gift of mine it is that in your veins

Does flow to make this Zebesian world they own.

But this I do forbid, though all my soul

As grandfather thine and elder Chozo

Gray cries out that both of us in armor

Fight and fall, and in the other's arms fly

To the sacred Muse. But this is not thy

Fate or right of mine that you in battle

Die. Heed now the words so gleaned through Chozo's

Prescient sight: that you should wind your way by

Fleetest ship to meet a warrior from the

World of thy own people's birth, whom you shall

Join upon this ravaged dirt, and expel

This pirate curse, who quickly in these hours

Will reduce the wonders of enlightened

Chozo race to so much ash. Go. I will

Not have my child perish in stead,

Or else beside, this ancient bird. Get thee

Now away from Brinstar dank, and fly you

From this doomèd world."

With steely strength of

Will the Chozo pushes her away, and bids

The young Aran to take with fleetest feet

A vessel most renowned for speed and stealth,

And commits her to the nameless Muse, with

Order to the unseen ears of Mother

Brain to see the girl no harm above all

Else. Now sits he down upon the stone, and

Speaks no more. Though her tears yet fall, Samus

Makes quickly toward the hangar where her means

Of flight and arms to fight are laid within.

Tormented by the gnawing pain in soul

So deep, the Chozo aged makes shut his eyes

And awaits the chitt'ring sounds of his own

Death.


End file.
